What is the remuneration package of a photographer?

• Freelancing Photographers earn a higher amount when compared to employed or salaried Photographers.
• Their salary is determined by factors such as experience, geographical location and area of employment.
• The average median salary for a Photographer is calculated to be $63,134 for a year.
• The lowest ten percentile of Photographers earn up to $34,073 and the top ten percentile employed in this industry earn more than $71,719 annually.
• They also enjoy bonus from the organization they work for which ranges from $199.11 – $5,288 annually.
• Experience also acts as an important determinant in estimating the salary for Photographers.
• It is seen that professionals with less than one year of experience in this field receive a salary ranging around $25,532 – $46,524 per annum.
• On the other hand, Photographers with experience of five to ten years in this profession earn salary ranging around $28,079 – $63,080 annually.
• A Photographer employed in the state of Texas earns salary ranging around $29,746 – $110,738 per year.
• It is observed that the same professional who is employed in the state of New York earns salary ranging around $27,500 – $87,500 for a year.
• The variation of salary from state to state is because of the difference in the economic rate and also the demand for these professionals in that area.
• A professional Photographer who is self-employed earns salary ranging around $20,134 – $123,650 annually while a Photographer who is employed with a company earn between $30,733 – $72,203 per year.

An overview of the job of a Photographer:
Photographers are professionals who produce, create and preserve pictures. They make use of their creativity and technical expertise skill which will enable them to produce professional photographs. Further, they may also work in enhancing the appearance or feature of a particular subject by making use of natural or artificial lighting procedures and shooting from various interesting angles. For this purpose they use a variety of lenses which will help them to produce the effects they wish.

Photographers use told such as cameras, lights and lenses and they are expected to be highly skilled technicians with these tools. Photographers create a meaningful picture by arranging all that they photograph clearly in the finished picture. A majority of the Photographers make use of the digital cameras that have evolved in the twenty-first century. This digital technology has enabled the Photographers to capture the images electronically and then edit them later by making use of automated editing software. In digital cameras images are stored on compact disks also known as flash disks that are small memory cards which are fixed inside the camera.

Generally, Photographers display their work electronically by developing portfolios or by placing them on Web pages. In this process, customers get to order a copy of the Photographer’s work which can be custom made by making changes alterations with the aid of computer software’s. When the customers are satisfied, the images may be sent with the help of the internet world. Certain professional Photographers choose to develop their images through a darkroom. This is a quiet common procedure if the Photographer wants black and white special effects.

Most of the Photographers work as freelancers. They may be hired to take pictures at a wedding ceremony, graduation day and any other occasion. This is a diverse field of work as one Photographer may choose a career of taking weddings photography while the other may choose to work in a laboratory that is responsible for taking scientific pictures with the help of a microscope. Earning capability of Photographers widely varies but it is seen that freelancers earn more and they charge whatever the market dictates which is affected by the clients list and also the business conditions.

What does a photographer have to do?

The duties of a Photographer differs with the type of industry they that they work in. However, below are a few general duties and responsibilities listed out for the profession of a Photographer:

Duties:

• The primary duty of a Photographer is to perform specialized photography on location by making use of still cameras and other photography equipment determining the position or the film type, lighting requirements, tripods to ensure a good quality shooting.
• It forms the duty of the Photographer to develop films, enlargements, make color corrections and project the pictures with the help of a slide that can be used in exhibitions, displays and other publications.
• It is the duty of the Photographer to operate the graphic designing equipment which includes the cameras, printing and graphic computers in order to produce a professional photo copy.
• An important duty of a Photographer is to consult with the client to know his needs, budget and time and then ensure that the photographs are arranged in the desired position in order to gain the confirmation and appreciation from a client.
• As Photographers are professionals in taking pictures, they are given the duty to estimate light level in a picture, number of the exposure level by making use of various devices and formulas able for this purpose.

Responsibilities:

• Photographers have additional responsibilities to perform in case they are operating through the own company or business entity, which includes scheduling work appointments, purchasing equipment, training and supervising other Photographers etc.
• Some Photographers are also responsible for designing photo albums and frame images.

Following are some of the primary responsibilities of any photographer:

• A Photographer is given the responsibility to oversee and supervise the work of other Photographers by assisting them in the technical aspects of photography and assigning them with assignments as and when required.
• They also take the responsibility hire and train new Photographers to the company.
• It forms the responsibility of the Photographers to maintain all the prints and negatives of photographs for future reference by making a record of client’s files.
• The primary responsibility of a Photographer is to maintain and ensure the photographic supplies which include chemical paper, budget files and other equipment required for shooting.
• They should maintain a record of all the supplies and order for things when they are required.
• An important duty of a Photographer is to frame the camera focusing on the subject matter and background with the use of appropriate lens to capture the image.
• Photographers are also responsible for image correction to match the tastes of clients.
• They may have to alter the size, crop the image of color a picture to suit the client’s desires.

The field of photography does not necessarily demand high degrees must it requires individual’s passion and creativity.

Following are a few minimum qualifications to be become a professional photographer and excel in the field:

Educational requirements:

• A high school forms the minimum qualification for a Photographer.
• But the extent of education for a Photographer depends upon an individual’s interest and goal in this field.
• A bachelor of arts in photography degree opens up a number of doors to advance in this profession.
• Bachelor studies generally includes study of art, marketing and business which polishes the all round development for a Photographer.
• At the end of a graduation course, creation of a portfolio may prove beneficial to apply for further programs.
• This photography course grooms the students in all aspects of photography such as taking photographs with the help of various camera lenses, techniques etc.
• It also teaches the students about photography history combined with its theory and evolution.
• An associated degree in the field of photography, journalism, fine arts or any two-year photography training will be helpful.
• Students may also apply for a master’s degree in photography which enables them to choose a specialization such as news Photographer, commercial Photographer, fashion Photographer, scientific Photographer, fine arts Photographer etc.
• It is important in the twenty-first century that Photographers have sufficient technical knowledge about the use of digital equipment which allows the Photographers to take high quality pictures where they can edit them as well.
• Technology is fast changing and as such they must be updated with the latest advancements of this field.
• Practical work or internship programs taken up at college level will prove helpful to the candidates as these programs enable them to prepare for the field.
• Internships may be taken up with any magazines, newspapers, and clubs etc which provide ample summer job opportunities for sprouting Photographers to publish or display their work.
• Just say ‘cheese’ and get ready to become a professional Photographer with these minimum qualifications.

Skill Set required:

Photographers must have additional set of abilities and skills which will help them to excel in their exhibiting their professionalism.

Following are the set of skills required for this profession:

• Knowledge of basic techniques of Photography: A good Photographer must have entire knowledge about the principles, techniques and equipment in modern photography by keeping himself updated with the latest trends and developments of photography.
• Computer Literate: This professional must have the ability to operate a computer by making use of editing software’s which enhances the pictures.
• Communication skills: Reasonable amount of oral and written communication skills are required for a Photographer.
• Ability to observe: Professional Photographers look at things with a different perspective and they think beyond the obvious. However, it takes experience to practice this skill which will help them to capture interesting images

What is the certification and licensure given to a photographer?

• The Professional Photography Certification Commission (PPCP) offers a two year photography course for candidates who want to receive certifications in this field.
• Certification for Photographers is not compulsory although it offers a number of perks to professionals who are certified.
• Certification usually enables the individual in gaining experience combined with talent and professionalism.
• To attain certification, candidates must submit their application along with their portfolio which is checked and then confirmed by the authorities.
• The send step is to register for an examination which evaluates the knowledge of the candidate on aspects of photography such as camera, lenses, digital production and capture, output etc.
• Certification is achieved under the PPCP after clearing the written examination.